Two-part cap



Jan. 17, 1939 E M ENKUR 2,144,287

TWO-PART CAP i Filed Feb. 7, 1934 Sheets-Sheet l X n lgn,

Jan. 17, 1939. M ENKUR 2,144,287

TWO- PART CAP Filed Feb. 7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .mmm 3mm Patented Jan.17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT 'rwo-r'r oar Application February 7, 1934,Serial No. 710,191

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to caps for containers and, moreparticularly, to a two-part cap.

Two-part container caps comprise a disc element adapted to fit upon thecontainer mouth and 5 a skirt element adapted to engage retaining meanson the container mouth, the disc element being held upon the containermouth by an inwardly extending flange at the upper edge of the skirtelement. A substantially flat sealing ring or washer is provided beneaththe outer edge of the disc element, this ring being adapted to bear uponthe lip of the container mouth.

When a single part cap provided with a sealing ring bearing upon the lipof the container is it used, it is frequently difflcult to remove thecap from the container. This is due to the fact that the sealing ringtends to adhere to both the lip of the container and the underside ofthe cap top, rendering it dimcult to turn the cap with 2d respect to thesealingring and container. Twopart caps overcome this difficulty becausethe inwardly extending flange on the metal skirt element of the capbears upon the outer edge of the metal disc element and this metal tometal at contact permits the skirt element to be readily turned upon thecontainer and removed therefrom. The disc element and the sealing ringmay subsequently be lifted from the lip of the container. although, insome instances, it may be 30 necessary to insert a knife between theunderside of the sealing ring and the lip of the container to pry thesealing ring and disc element from the container mouth.

Heretofore, two-part caps provided with screw 35 threads or lugs havebeen provided in two forms. In one form, the disc element and skirtelement have been so designed that they were freely separable and wouldnot remain in assembled condition unless secured to a container. In theother 40 form, the disc has been of a slightly larger diameter than thedistance between diametrically opposite points on the threads of theskirt portion or of larger diameter than diametrically opposite lugs onthe skirt portion.

45 Where the caps have been so formed that the disc element has beenentirely free to fall from the skirt element, it has been necessary tosupply the separate parts to canners or bottlers and the operator whoplaces the cap upon a container 60 has necessarily had to select theseparate elements from the different stacks and assemble them beforeplacing the entire cap upon the container.

The other form, that is, the form in which the 55 disc element has beenor larger diameter than element and, in many instances, prevents thecontainer from. being properly sealed. Also, if the consumer wishes toremove the disc element from the skirt element, the disc element must bedeformed to accomplish this, ruining the disc element for any furtheruse as a loose cover for the container.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a two-partcap which is so constructed and designed that the parts of the cap willnormally be held in assembled condition but will nevertheless be freelyseparable.

The cap of the present invention includes a disc element having anoutside diameter which is very slightly less than or substantiallycorresponds to the smallest inside diameter of the threads or lugs orother engaging or retaining means on the skirt element of the cap, thatis, substantially corresponds to the diameter of the outer wall of thecontainer mouth to which the cap is fitted. Thus, the disc element is ofsuch diameter that it may be readily inserted into the skirt elementpast the threads or lugs of the latter. The sealing ring of the presentcap has an outside diameter which is substantially the same as thelargest inside diameter of the skirt element of the cap,

i. e., the diameter of the skirt element measured above the threads orlugs thereon. In other words, the outside diameter of the sealing ring msubstantially corresponds to or may slightly exceed the overall diameterof the threaded portion or retaining means on the mouth of thecontainer.

In assembling the cap, the disc element is first inserted in the skirtelement and the sealing ring is subsequently inserted, so that the discelement will rest upon the sealing ring. Since the sealing ring is ofrubber or other flexible and resilient material, it may be readilyinserted in the skirt element past the'lugs or threads of the latter butas it will tend to retain its ring shape, it will not fall past thethreads or lugs and out of the skirt element.

Because the parts of the cap will remain in as- 56 Q Figures 1 to 3positioned upon a container.

sembled condition, they may be supplied to bottlers or canners in suchcondition and readily applied to containers without the necessity of anyassembling operations by an operator at the canning orbottling plant.

Another object of the invention is to provide a two-part cap which is soconstructed that the disc element will be self-centering with respect tothe skirt element and will also center the sealing ring with respect tothe skirt element when the cap is placed upon a container, therebypreventing distortion of the cap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cap which is soconstructed that it will not have any exposed sharp edges.

Still another object of theinventi'on is to provide a two-part cap whichwill provide a highly efficient seal for a container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cap which is sodesigned that it will not be distorted when it is tightly held upon acontainer and which will exert a uniform downward pressure upon thesealing ring.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughoutthe several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the underside of a cap .of my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showingthe cap prior to positioning upon a container.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view showing the cap ofFigures 1 and 2 applied to a container. I Y

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the underside of a modified form of cap.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, showingthe cap prior to positioning upon a container.

Figure 6 is a sectional view showing a modified form of the cap shown inFigures 4 and 5 and also illustrating the position of the cap upon acontainer, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged detailed sectional view showing a slightlymodified form of the cap of The capdesignated by the numeral III inFigures 1, 2 and 3 comprises a skirt element or portion II and a discelement or portion I2. The skirt element II includes an inwardlyextending flange I3 and a depending tubular portion or skirt I4including an upper and. preferably knurled portion Ila. The lower end ofthe skirt is provided with circumferentially spaced andinwardlyprojecting lugs I5. The disc element I2 inresilient material isprovided in'the cap, the inner diameter of this ring being such that itwill surcludes a depressed substantially cup-shaped central portion I6and an outwardly extending flange I1. The diameter of the flange I1 issubstantially the same as, or slightly less than, the distance,

-measured diametrically, between opposite lugs I5 on the skirt element II and the disc element may therefore be readily inserted past the lugsI5 and into the skirt element II.

A sealing ring II" of rubber or other flexible,

round the cup-shaped central portion I6 of the disc element I2. Theouter diameter of the sealing ring I3 is' substantially the same as theinner diameter of the knurled or wall portion Ila of the skirt element II. The sealing ring I3 may thus be inserted in the skirt element IIbeneath the ,flangell of the disc element I2 to the position will beretained in assembled position, since the sealing ring I3 is not soflexible as to fall past the lugs I5 and will thereby support the discmember I2 in the manner shown in Figure 2. If desired, the sealing ringmay be adhesively secured to the disc element flange I1.

When the cap is applied to a container 20 as shown in Figure 3, the lugsor threads I5 on the skirt element II will engage beneath the threads orretaining means 2i about the mouth of the container, causing the flangeI3 on the skirt element to bear upon the flange I! of the disc elementto compress the sealing ring I8 against the lip 22 of the containermouth. It will be observed that the inwardly extending flange I3 on theskirt element II is downwardly inclined as at 23 from its outer andupper edge. From this point inwardly, the flange I3 is bowed asindicated by the numeral 24. An annular shoulder or ridge 25 is therebyprovided on the underside of the skirt element flange between the innerend of the inclined portion .23 and the bowed portion 24 and, when thecap is applied to a container, this ridge or shoulder bears ,upon theflange I1 of the disc element I2.

It will be observed that an obtuse angle is formed by the disposition ofthe downwardly inclined portion 23 with respect to the outer part of thebowed portion 24. The movement of the skirt element II to tightly engagethe container will therefore cause the flange I3 to bend or flex at theshoulder 25 or immediately outwardly thereof so that the inner edge 26of the flange will not be lifted and distorted. The obtusely angledpoint of bending described above is obviously more resilient andtherefore less subject to distortion than is a corresponding flangehaving a plain or flat surface or provided with the usual type ofsemi-circular groove such as is illustrated in Figure 5, for example.The distortion avoided by the present arrangement occurs in mosttwo-part caps and, as it detracts from the appearance of the container,is frequently avoided by not screwing the skirt element tightly upon thecontainer. Naturally, when the cap is not firmly held upon thecontainer, the seal may be inefllcient. Also, since a point of easyflexure is provided and distortion of the flange I3 prevented, therewill be no possibility of the annular shoulder 25 being raised out ofcontact with the flange I! at any point and uniform downward pressurewill be exerted upon the flange I1 throughout the circumference of theshoulder 25.

The extreme inner end 26 of the bowed portion of the skirt elementflange extends slightly downwardly and into the cup-shaped centralportion I6 of the disc element to contact with the side walls of thecup-shaped portion and center the disc element.-

Referring to Figure 3, it will be observed that the outer diameter ofthe flange I I on the disc element is substantially the same as theoutside diameter of the. wall of the container mouth and that theoutside diameter of the sealing ring I3 is substantially the'same as orslightly exceeds the overall diameter of the container mouth, 1. e., thediameter including the threads 2| on the container mouth.

container mouth. The skirt element may readily be rotated, even thoughit has been tightly screwed upon the container, because of the metal tometal contact between the skirt element and the disc element. When thelugs l5 have been moved clear or the container threads 2|, the skirtelement may be lifted and will come into contact with the underside ofthe outer edge of the sealing ring I8 so that the sealing ring and thedisc element supported thereby may be readily lifted from the mouth ofthe container without the necessity of using any utensil for thispurpose.

It will be seen that the-lower edge of the central depressed portion iiof the disc element I2 is rounded and that the side wall of thedepressed portion is inwardly inclined, all to assist in centering thedisc element with respect to the container mouth.

The cap illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 comprises a skirt element 30 anda disc element 3|, the skirt element including an inwardly extendingflange 32 and a depending skirt or tubular portion 33. The upper part33a of the tubular portion is preferably unthreaded and, if desired, maybe knurled. The lower part of the skirt portion may be provided withthreads 35 and the lower end of the skirt 33 may be beaded as shown inFigure 5.

The disc element 3| is substantially dishshaped, including a shallowcentral depressed portion 36 and an inclined side wall. A flange 31extends outwardly from the inclined side wall of the central depressedportion. A sealing ring 33 having an inner diameter of such dimension asto surround the depressed central portion 36 of the disc element 3| isprovided in the assembled cap, the outer diameter of the sealing ringbeing substantially the same as the-inner diameter of the unthreadedupper part 33a of the skirt 33. The diameter of the disc element 3| isvery slightly less than the smallest inside diameter of the skirt 33,which is the diameter between opposite points on thethreads 35. As

shown in Figure 5, the disc element 3! may thus be readily inserted inthe skirt element 30 and the flexible sealing ring 38 may then be movedpast the threads 35 and will rest upon the latter to support the discelement in the cap. The outer diameter of the sealing ring 38 issubstantially the same as the inner diameter of the unthreaded portion33a of the skirt element.

The outer diameter of the flange 3i of the disc element and the outerdiameter of the sealing ring 38 may be described assubstantiallymorresponding, respectively, with the overall diameter ofthe container mouth andthe outside diameter of the wall of the containermouth, although the sealing ring may slightly exceed the overalldiameter of the mouth.

The mode of application of the form of cap disclosed in Figures 4 and 5will be obvious from the mode of application set forth above inconnection with the cap of Figures 1 to. 3. The flange 32 of the skirtelement is provided with a downwardly projecting circumferentialshoulder 32a which contacts with-the flange 31 of the threads 43 and theextreme lower edge of the skirt is provided with a bead. An inwardlyextending flange-44 is provided at the upper edge of the skirt element,this flange bearing upon an outwardly extending flange 45 about discelement 4|. The central portion 43 of the disc element is substantiallybowl-shaped, thereby providing an annular groove 41 beneath the flange45. A sealing ring 48 is positioned in the annular groove 41, these twoelements thereby being held together and facilitating the positioning ofthe cap upon a container at the canning or bottling plant. The outerdiameter of the sealing ring substantially corresponds to the innerdiameter of the unthreaded portion 42a of the skirt element while theouter diameter of the flange 45 of the disc element substantiallycorresponds to the smallest diameter of the tubular portion or skirt 42of the skirt element, that is, the distance measured betweendiametrically opposite points on the threads 43.

As shown in Figure 6, the inner diameter of the sealing ring 45 issomewhat less than the diameter of the inner wall of the mouth of thecontainer 20a. to which the cap is applied and the outer diameter of thedisc element substantially corresponds to or slightly exceeds thediameter of the outer wall of the mouth of the container. Because of therelatively small inner diameter of the sealing ring 48, the applicationof the cap to a container will so compress the sealing ring as to form atight seal between the inner diameter of the ring and the surface of theannular groove 41 in the disc element, and also between the outerperiphery of the sealing ring and the inner wall of theskirt element.The usual seal will of course be provided by the close contact of theundersurface of the sealing ring with the lip of the container mouth.

A further advantage of the arrangement described above is that the closecontact of the outer surface of thesealing ringwith the inner wall ofthe skirt element will prevent the skirt element from being dislodgedfrom proper sealing position by accidental blows. Nevertheless, theskirt element may be rotated to remove it from the container by theapplication thereto of normal turning force. This latter advantage isinherent in all of the forms of the invention disclosed in the presentapplication.

The inwardly extending flange 44 of the skirt r element is provided withan annular groove spaced inwardly from its outer edge, the provision ofthis groove forming a downwardly facing annular ridge or shoulder 49which bears upon the upper surface of the flange 45 of the disc element.From the shoulder or ridge 49 inwardly. the flange 44 is spaced from theflange 45 and terminates in a beaded edge 50. The provision of thebeaded edge 50 eliminates sharp exposed edges on the cap and alsocenters the disc element 4| with respect to the skirt element. It willbe obvious that the sealing ring 45 is also centered with respect toboth of the above mentioned elements of the cap.

The form of invention illustrated in Figure 7 is substantially similarto that shown in'Figures l to 3, except that in Figure 7 the skirtelement 52 includes an inwardly extending flange 53 which is providedwith an inner beaded edge 54 which, when the cap is positioned upon acontainer, contacts with the disc element 55 by bearing upon the sidewall of the central depressed portion 56 of the latter element. As isthe case in the Figure 3 form of the invention, the flange 53 of theskirt element is downwardly and inwardly inclined at its outer portion,as indicated at 51, and the inner end of the inclined portion 51 isupturned or oflset to form an obtuse angle, the inner portion 58 of theflange being substantially bowed so as to be spaced above the lowestpoint of the inclined portion 51. A downwardly facing annular ridge orshoulder 59 is thus provided at the apexof the obtuse angle, whichshoulder contacts with the upper surface of the flange 60 of the discelement Just as does the shoulder 25 shown in Figure 3. By thisconstruction, the flange 53 will flex at the shoulder 59, or immediatelyoutwardly thereof when the skirt element is tightly applied toa.container. The inner edge of the flange 53 of the skirt element willtherefore not be raised nor distorted. The advantages of thisarrangement have been fully discussed in connection with the descriptionof the shoulder 25 shown in Figure 3.

It will be understood that in all of the forms of the invention, thesealing ringmay, if desired, be adhesively secured to the outwardlyextending flange of the disc element.

The invention is capable of being embodied otherwise than asspecifically shown and described herein, and accordingly I do not limitmyself except as in the following claim.

I claim:

The combination with a cap element including a skirt element providedwith means to engage retaining means upon a container mouth, 01 aninwardly extending flange, the flange being downwardly inclined from itsouter portion to a point intermediate its width to there provide anannular shoulder to bear downwardly at a point opposite a containermouth, the flange being substantially bowed inwardly of the annularshoulder.

EDWARD ENKUR.

